GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 28, 27 October 1917, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

{By "Kowhai.") CARNATIONS. Tho shortness ol the flowering season of border carnations has always been disappointing. . Their Bowers aro so beautilul, so . freely '-'produced during '.their season, and so fragrant that gardeners have always wished that they could have them in bloom in the garden over a

longer period- Xow, however, that wo have ceased tp look upon perpntu.ilfloworing carnations as greenhouso plants only, we have what wo have long waned for—a carnation that flowers over a Jong period. Perpetual flowering carnations are exceedingly hardy plants, and with ordinary caro may be had in flower nearly the whole year. , It, is really only during the coldest part of the. winter that they, fail to. produce their lovely flowers.

In my own gardon year-old, and two-year-old. hushes are flowoving well, whereas border carnations of tho same ago are only just beginning to got ready for

their flowering season. I %ra not suggesting that border carnations should be excluded from tho garden. During Kpvomber and Doccmbcr we cjin rovel in

their beautful flowers, and enjpy them much moro, now that we can watch their coming without impatience, and (their going without regret. But perpotualß should he added to the garden to fill in tho months of spring, late summer, and autumn.

Cuttings . of perpetual-flowering carna tions Bhould lie.taken now. for this is nn< time when the plants produce good onct If you examine the Dowering stems, yoi will prohably find, midway between th fiower-bud and the base of the flowerim stem, latoral Bhoots about three or fon inches in length. These are the 6DOOI to take for cuttings. A good way 0 rooting thchr is in clean pure sane Place some crocks in a. pot. and thei three-parts fill it with sand. B«move th lower leaves from the outlines, plan them firmly about two inches apart 11 the pots, and water them well in. lhc: should root in four or five weeks time. As soon as they have rooted, tie plant may be transferred to boxes contaimni Bandy soil and a little leaf-mould, ther to stay till j>lanting-ont time. I fin' it better to defer nlanting in tbj border till early in March, as the plants ar then less likely to suffer from drought. As soon as the little plants are five 0 six inches high, they should have .th topß pinched off to within ' three_inche of tho soil. This early stopping is mqs important, as it gives one. bushy m Btead of weedy plants. ' When the new growths have crown t. about six joints, they should be pinchc. again, and the plants should then be come fine bushy specimens ready to bea plenty of flowers in the spring. The preparation of the sou lor per petuals is tho same as for horder car nations. The ideal soil is a sandy loam but both clay and sandy soils may bo si -treated as to suit the plants. In the first place the'soil mußt be ver: deeply dug, for carnations are impatien of water Jying about their roots durmi winter. A sandy soil should havo plenty of cov manure and leatsoil due into it; claa soil should have road scrapings, pit v,-ood-ashes, and decayed leaves. It 11 advisable to die a clay soil in the an tumn; leaving it rough and exnoßed tc the weather during winter. the trmi of digging, grit ,and wood-ashes should b< worked iiv and also basic slae at tin rate of $lb. to sq. yd. Early in spring work in same well-rotted stable . manurf and- decayed leaves. If the young carnation mante are Kepi growing in their boxes all the ivintet anc Ire fond of lime. If it is not already small ball of soil attached to the root! thoy will not be much, behind the autumn planted ones in flowering. An' important point in crowing nor-petual-floworing carnations in the borttei is to 'attend to the staking ■ at onco. Tht growths may then bo trainod upnenl from the start. ' ■ : ■', Onco the soil has been thoroughly pro, pared,.animal manure should not bowsed again for the plants. It makes jsappy growth instead of the harder growth that is necessary for. flower production. -A recognised prepared carnation , fertilisei should be used alternately with soot ■ It must bo remembered that carnations are fond of lime. If U is, not alreadj 1 present > in the soil,, it should bo added as a top-dressing and hoed in. Keep the soil about the, plants wel hoed, and supply water during very drj weather." Greenfly on tho young shoot must not' be tolerated, as it does much harm to thorn, and often paves the vaj for disease. Another clast, ol car nation that is well worth growin ii tho, Marguonto carnation. it 1. early in? spring, and grown without check easily-raised from seed, -and if *ov,i wUI flower during tho summer, and yielc ouantities of fragrant flowers ■for cutting KvCTy seedling should bo planted out am aUowea to-flower, for often tte> most.back ward ones have the best flowers. At th end of the season v.ndesirable varetic may bo rooted out. o.nd tho sWok oth. nicest varieties may be increased by layer "ng or by cuttings, When the seedling* are planted out' they should be ml va cred, and should havo frequent dosesi o. soot water- during the flowering season. "ecd sown now will produce flowenu! plants in four months 1 time. The see. Should bo well scattered over the see. pan, for as a rule nearly every seed ger minates. Marguerite camationß form nice Compact, bushy plants. As» rule th plants break naturally, but should the fail to do so, tho tops should be ninpc off a¥ soon as the plants are three 0 four inohes high.

VEGETABLES. SCARLET RUNNERS. Tho ground lor scarlet' runners should be deeply dug, and the subsoil well treated with decayed manure. The p ante should bo encouraged to root deeply, so that they may withstand any amount of drought.- At tho time of sowing the seed sprinkle' a dressing of boncdust in .the drlls. Have the seeds from six to eight inches apart in the drills and aimut too inches deep. Cover with fine earth, pressing it firmly down with the bock or tho hand. As soon as tho seedlings aro well up, sprinkle a little supenphosphate along the row. Stakes .must be driven in hefore sowing the seed. The plants will want little further attention with the exception of regular liooing.

WINTER GREENS. Sow this month, where necessary, seeds of—Bnissels Bprouts, ca,bbago savoys, broccoli, and cauliflower, in small garaens just a pinch of seed of each variety will io sufficient. These crops do well if planted between the rows of late potatoes after they havo been earthed up for the last time.: As soon.as the earthing up has been finished, dig, if nossiblo, some wellrotted manure into the bottom of the trenches formod by the ridges. Cabbage, broccoli, etc., rolants like to rootmto boL containing well-rotted manure. When the potatoes are lifted later on tho wtbbages, etc. will bo far enough advanced, to appreciate the earthing up they will receive during tho pbtato-digging process.

PUMPKINS, MARROWS, ETC. Seeds of pump Kins. marrows, pie-melons, I and cucumbers may be sown in the places prepared for them. Where water is scarce during summer, it is as weU to sink a smaU drain pipe vertically here and there among tho 'plants. When in position the tops of the pipes should bo an inch or two above the level of the soil. If water is poured down these pipes, one can feel satisfied that it reaches the roots of the plants, where it is wanted, instead of running all over the surrounding ground, whore it. is wasted. Another advantage l of the pipe system is that ono can supply water to the roots of tho plants without caking the stiffnco soil. . ROUTINE WORK. Plant out now:—Tomato plants, pumpkin marrow .pie-melon, and cuoumbcr plants;- cabbage and cauliflower plants. Keep tho soil free and open, and plants will go ahead quickly. _ Keep silver beet well cut or it will soon go to seed. As soon as tho plants have boon pretty well stripped of their leavos. a good watering, a little weak liquid manure, and frequent hoeing will soon sot them, going again. Keep ipotatoes well -earthed up. Earth up with damp warm earth. Sprinkle a very little nitrate of soda about each plant ljeforc earthing lrp. Keen the ho- nt work among all growing crops. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about routine work, dianthus, and vegetables.